Wall mounted refrigerating apparatus



- Feb. 12; 1957 v. G. sHARPE WALL MOUNTED iREFRIGERATING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 13, 1955 INVENTOR. I Ver/os G. Sharpe.

Z R.Cam.do-u.

His Attorney Feb. 12, 1957 v. 5. SHARPE WALL MOUNTED REFRIGERATING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 13, 1955 INVENTOR. rlos G. Sharpe.

His Attorney I v G SHARPE WALL MOUNTED REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Feb. 12, 1957 Filed Jan. 13*, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVEAVITOR. 'Verlos G. Sharpe.

His Attorney WALL MOUNTED REFRIGERA'HNG APPARATUS Verlos G. Sharpe, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Application January 13, 1955, Serial No. 481,592

Claims. (Cl. 62-89) This invention relates to refrigeration and particularly to a refrigerator section or refrigerated compartment forming a part of a multiple section or compartmented wall mounted refrigerating apparatus in a kitchen of a home.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved wall mounted refrigerator.

Another object of the invention is to provide a refrigerated food storage compartment with means whereby, when the door of the compartment is opened, all foods stored in the compartment will be moved outwardly thereof for accessibility from exteriorly of the compartment.

A further object of the invention is to provide a refrigerated compartment with a frame structure or compartmented assemblage which is movable outwardly of the compartment through a front opening therein by movement of the compartment door and to slidably mount food supporting members or storage containers on the frame for movement in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the frame out of the compartment so as to render foods stored on the members or in the containers accessible for removal therefrom at either side of the ex posed structure or assemblage.

in carrying out the foregoing objects, it is a still further and more specific object of the invention to pivotally mount a rigid cover or curtain at ends of a substantially flat ex tensible food support or shelf on a movable frame located in a refrigerated compartment for shielding and preventing cold air above the shelf from spilling therefrom when the frame is moved outwardly of the compartment and to provide means for swinging the curtain or cover about its pivotal mounting in response to moving the support or shelf outwardly relative to the frame.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a refrigerating apparatus showing a slidable food supporting assemblage moved outwardly of a refrigerated compartment thereof;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the refrigerating apparatus with the food supporting assemblage located in the compartment thereof and showing a closed refrigerating system associated with the compartment;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the refrigerating apparatus with portions thereof broken away and showing food supporting members or containers of the outwardly slidable assemblage moved sidewise in different directions relative thereto;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line l4 of Figure l of a shelf in the food supporting assemblage having a rigid curtain or cover pivotally mounted adjacent an end of the shelf and showing a mechanism for moving the cover;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing the shelf slid part way out of the assemblage with the cover and its operating mechanism in a position resulting from this movement of the shelf; and

ited States Patent ice Figure 6 is a view similar to Figures 4 and 5 showing the shelf moved outwardly of the frame assemblage with its end cover rotated into open position.

in refrigerating apparatus of the built-in or wall mounted type, it is desirable to provide several separate and individually insulated sections or compartments for the storage and refrigeration at different temperatures of a wide variety of foods. It is also desirable to provide for the compact storage of certain foods in a compartment and the provision of means for rendering these foods readily accessible from exteriorly of the compartment. With these desiderata in view, the present invention is directed to a relatively small section or compartment of a multiple compartment refrigerating apparatus mounted in a wall of a kitchen, substantially at waist height, wherein foods are made more readily accessible when the compartment door is opened.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Figure 1, thereof, a refrigerating apparatus including a box-like structure or insulated compartment, generally represented by the reference character 15. This compartment 15 comprises a metal outer panel or shell 16 and an inner metal liner l7 spaced therefrom and having insulating material 18 disposed therebetween. Liner 17 forms Walls of the food storage compartment 15 whichis provided with a front opening. The front edges of liner 17 are spaced from and secured to edges of shell 16 by an insulating braker strip (not shown) as is conventional in the art. A closed refrigerating system is associated with the boxlike structure or compartment (see Figure 2) and this system comprises a refrigerant translating device in the form of a motor-compressor unit 21 and a condenser 22. Condenser 22 may be of any conventional form and is herein shown as being of the plate or sheet metal type. The refrigerating system also comprises a refrigerant evaporator 23 preferably of the elongated plate or sheet metal type. Motor-compressor unit 21 is connected to condenser 22 by a conduit 24 for forwarding compressed refrigerant thereinto. Refrigerant cooled and condensed in condenser 22 is directed therefrom to the evaporator 23 by a conduit 26. Another conduit 27 extending between evaporator 23 and unit 21 conveys refrigerant evaporated in the evaporator 23 to the compressor in unit 21. The outer panel or shell 16 extends beyond the insulated back wall of compartment 15 to provide a recess or cavity in the rear portion of the box-like structure in which the condenser 22 and unit 21 may be supported in any suitable or desirable manner. Since the compartment 15 is adapted to be placed in a wall of a kitchen or the like, heat dissipated by unit 21 and condenser 22 may flow out of the recess or cavity through louvred or the like openings 25 provided in the top outer wall or shell 16 of compartment 15. Plate evaporator 23 is vertically mounted in compartment 15 in spaced relation to its rear wall for withdrawing heat from this compartment so as to cool and cause circulation of air therein. A baffle 28 located in front of evaporator 23 cooperates with the back wall of compartment 15 to provide a flue about the evaporator for augmenting the circulation of air in the refrigerated compartment. A thermostat 31, responsive to temperatures produced by evaporator 23, is connected by a conduit 32 to a suitable and preferably snap acting electric switch indicated at 33 for controlling an electric circuit leading to the motor in unit 21 to start and/or stop the motor. The motor drives the refrigerant compressor in unit 21 to cause the evaporator to maintain the interior of compartment 15 between predetermined desired temperature limits as is conventional and well-known to those skilled in the art.

An angle iron frame 35 is supported on spaced apart telescoping or extensible roller bearing track-like slides 36 of which at least one is rigidly secured within com- Patented Feb. 12, 1957 partment 15 by being attached to a wall thereof. An insulated door structure 37, provided with a handle 38, is stationarily mounted on the outer end of frame 35 and carries a. gasket 39 (see Figure 2) on its inner face. The gasket 39 'is adapted to sealingly engage the front of compartment 15 about the opening therein when door 37 is closed. Frame 35 and door 37 thereon are movable horizontally into and outwardly of compartment 15 thr'ough'its front opening while being supported therefrom by the extensible slides 36 (see Figures 1 and 3). While frame 35 is shown as being suspendingly supported from compartment 15, it is to be understood that this frame may, if desired, be mounted on telescoping or sliding means in or at the lower portion of the compartment. A plurality of superimposed food supporting storage m mbers or containers' are carried by frame 35. For example, drawer-like containers or receptacles 41, provided'with end handles 49, disposed one above the other aremounted on extensible track-like slides 42 secured to the metal frame 35. These drawers and slides are independently slidable relative to and outwardly from either side of frame 35in a horizontal direction, transverse to the direction of movement of frame 35 outwardly of compartment 15, after the frame has been moved out of its compartment. This sliding of a drawer 41 permits access'to the interior thereof through its open top by a person standing at a side of the outwardly moved frame assemblage. A substantially fiat food supporting shelf 43, disposed above the uppermost drawer 31 of the tier thereof, is mounted on extensible slides or tracks which are carried by frame 35. The ends of shelf 43 are disposed at the sides of frame 35 and each end thereof is provided with a handle portion 45 to facilitate moving the shelf. Shelf 43 is also slidable on the tracks or slides 44 relative to and outwardly of either side of frame 35 in a horizontal direction, transverse to the direction of movement of frame 35 outwardly of compartment 15, after the frame has been slid out of its compartment. A top. plate 46 secured to frame 35, an end plate 47 also secured to frame 35 and the inner face of door 37 form walls bounding the top and two sides of shelf 43, while the same is positioned within the movable frame 35. A rigid metal or molded plastic curtain or cover extends from each end of shelf 43 to the upper portion of frame 35 and are pivotally mounted on frame 35. These curtains or covers shield foods supported on shelf 43 from air" ambient tocompartrnent 15 and prevents cool air in the enclosure, formed by shelf 43, door 37, plates 46 and 47 and covers or curtains 49, from spilling therefrom when the assemblage is moved out of compartment 15 to gain access to a drawer 41. The shelf 43 has upstanding side edges fitted over and secured to one of the elements of its telescoping supporting slides or tracks 44 and a lug 51 secured at the top of each of the shelf side edges is adapted to cooperate with a means or a trip mechanism, rendered effective in response to moving shelf 43 relative to frame 35, for rotating the rigid curtain or cover 49 about its pivotal mounting in a man ner and for a purpose to be presently described.

Each lug 51 is located near an end of shelf 43 at diagonally opposed sides thereof (see Figure 3) and is adapted .to'r'egister with diagonally disposed trip means of mechanisms, each associated with one of the curtains or covers 49 at each end of shelf 43. The sides of each of the covers or curtains 49, at the ends of shelf 43, each have an inwardly directed ear 53 thereon pivotally mounted, by a stud or the like 54, to brackets 56 rigidly secured in any suitable manner to frame 35. One of these brackets 54 at each end of shelf 43 is provided with an integral extension to which a rotatable camming member 57 is pivotally mounted by a stud Cam member 57 is cut out as at 59 for a purpose to be presently described. A link or arm 61 has its one end pivotally attached by a pin or the like 62 to cam member 57 and the other end of this link or arm is pivotally attached, by

. from a closed vertical position to an opened horizontal position, in response to moving shelf 43 relative to frame 35. Suitable stops 7 1 and 72 (see Figures 4, 5, and 6) are welded or otherwise secured to frame 35 for stopping the curtain or cover 49 in a substantially vertical position and a substantially horizontal position respectively.

When the frame 35 and assemblage thereon is slid out of compartment 15 ,by pulling forwardly on door handle 38, any one of the drawers 41 may be opened by sliding same laterally in either direction with respect to the frame and/ or the substantially flat shelf 43 may beslid laterally in either direction with respect to the frame (see Figure 3). If it is desired to gain access to foods stored on shelf 43,.either end of this shelf is grasped by the user and pulled in a direction outwardly from a side of frame 35. The initial movement of shelf 43 causes a lug 51, adjacent the end thereof to which force is applied by the user, to engage one wall of the cut-out portion 59 of a cam 5'7 and rotate this cam about its pivotal mounting stud 53 (see Figure 5); Rotation of cam 57 causes the link or arm 61 to pull downwardly on ear 53 of cover 49 to cam or rotate this cover away from stop 71, about its pivotal mounting 54, against the tension of spring 66. As the pin 67 on ear 53 of cover 49 moves from one side of stud 54 past this stud toward the other side thereof, the tension of spring 66 then aids movement of shelf 43 outwardly of frame 35 and also aids the mechanism in opening or moving the cover 49 into a horizontal position, against the stop '72 (see Figure 6). After lug 51 on shelf 43 moves outwardly beyond camming member 57 tension spring 66 flips the cover 49 into its fully open position. It is to be understood that the movement of cover or curtain 49 is in advance of the time anything supported'on shelf 43 could be shifted toward or against the cover. The cut-out portion 59 on cam 57 straddles lug 51 as the shelf 43 moves sidewise out of frame 35 (see Figure 5). The stop 72 limits the opening movement of cover 49 and also holds the other wall of cutout portion 59 on cam 57 in a position to be engaged by lug 51 when the shelf 43 is slid back into its normal location within the confines of frame 35. Thus, as shelf 43 is pushed back into frame'35, the lug 51 on the shelf engages this other wall of cut-out portion 59 on cam 57 and rotates the cam 57 in an opposite direction to cause the cover 49 to close. During return movement of shelf 43, link or arm 61 pushes the car 53 on cover 49 upwardly to rotate the cover back to closed position about its pivotal mounting studs 54 against stop 71. The spring 66 having been moved back from one side of stud 54 to the other, beyond a straight line extended through pin 68 and stud 54, its tension now applied to cover 49 biasingly retains this cover in closed position.

Air cooled'by' evaporator 23 flows downwardly in the fine between baffle 28 and the back wall of compartment 15 out of the open lower end of this flue. The cool air circulates about walls of drawers 41 and about walls of the space above shelf 43 thence into the open upper end of the flue. As far as the present invention is concerned, the drawers 41 or at least their ends and the covers 49 may be formed of plastic material which is transparent to permit viewing of contents of these drawers and foods on shelf 43 prior to opening the drawers or moving the shelf. it is to be understood that the set of telescoping slide rails or tracks 36, 42, and 44 employed in the present structure may be of any conventional design or construction as is now well-known to those skilled in the art. It is also to be understood that the temperature of evaporator 23 of the refrigerating system associated with the apparatus may be varied between predetermined limits to thereby maintain a desired temperature within compartment 15 in accordance with the types of food products to be stored in this one section or compartment of a multiple section or compartmented wall mounted or built-in refrigerating apparatus.

From the foregoing, it should be apparent that an improved refrigerating apparatus is provided which permits a new and novel manner of handling foods to be stored in or removed from the refrigerator. By providing the slidable assemblage with a door at its front end the gasket on the door automatically engages and seals the opening of the refrigerated compartment when the assemblage is moved intosame for refrigerating and preserving foods stored thereon. As before stated, the present refrigerated compartment is adapted to be located at substantially at waist height and the feature of moving the rigid curtains or covers at the ends of the fiat shelf, so that foods thereon are visible and readily accessible, eliminates the necessity of the user reaching over any upright end wall of a drawer or the like pushed in the uppermost or highest portion of the assemblage. The feature of moving the food supporting members or containers to either side of the assemblage, in directions transverse to the direction of movement of the assemblage out of the refrigerated compartment, permits the user to step to either side of the compartment door or assemblage to which it is secured in placing food into or removing food from containers in the apparatus.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, as may come within the scope of the claims which follow.

What i claimed is as follows:

1. A refrigerating apparatus comprising, an insulated compartment having a front opening, a closed refrigerating system including an evaporator for cooling the interior of said compartment, a frame within said compartment, a door stationarily secured to an end of saidframe for closing the open front of said compartment, means mounting said frame for movement outwardly of the open front of said compartment, a food supporting shelf slidably mounted on said frame, said shelf being movable relative to said frame in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the frame outwardly of said compartment, a cover pivotally mounted on said frame and extending upwardly from an end of said shelf for shielding food products supported thereon when said frame is moved outwardly of said compartment, and means rendered eflFective in response to moving said shelf relative to said frame for rotating said cover about its mountmg.

2. A refrigerating apparatus comprising, an insulated compartment having a front opening, a closed refrigerating system including an evaporator for cooling the interior of said compartment, a frame within said compartment, a door stationarily secured to an end of said frame for closing the open front of said compartment, mean mounting said frame for movement outwardly of the open front of said compartment, a food supporting shelf slidably mounted on said frame, said shelf being movable relative to said frame to either side thereof in directions transverse to the direction of outward movement of the frame from said compartment, covers pivotally mounted on said frame each extending upwardly from opposite ends of said shelf for shielding food prod- 66 uct supported thereon when said frame is moved outwardly of said compartment, and means rendered effective in response to moving said shelf to either side of said frame for rotating one of said covers about its mounting.

3. In a refrigerating apparatus having an insulated c0mpartment provided with an open front and an evaporator of a closed refrigerating system for cooling the interior of said compartment, an assembly within and movable horizontally outwardly of said compartment while supported therefrom, said assembly including a frame and a door stationarily secured thereto normally closing the open front of said compartment, a plurality of superimposed food storage drawers carried by said frame, a substantially flat food supporting shelf slidably carried by said frame above the uppermost drawer thereon, covers pivotally mounted on said frame each extending upwardly from opposite ends of said shelf for shielding food products thereon when said frame is moved outwardly of said compartment, said shelf and each of said drawers being movable relative to said frame to either side thereof in directions transverse to the direction of movement of said frame when the same i moved out of said compartment, and means rendered effective in response to moving said shelf for rotating one of said covers about its pivotal mounting.

4. In a refrigerating apparatus having an insulated compartment and a closed refrigerating system associated therewith, said system including an evaporator for cooling the interior of said compartment, a shelf for supporting food placed thereon and to be refrigerated in said compartment, means for slidably mounting said shelf, a curtain-like cover separate from and independent of said shelf extending upwardly from at least one end thereof in a substantially vertical direction normally preventing access to foods thereon, means pivotally mounting said curtain-like cover for movement relative to said shelf, and means rendered effective in response to sliding movement of said shelf for rotating said cover about its pivotal mounting means into a substantially horizontal position spaced above the shelf.

5. A refrigerating apparatus comprising, an insulated compartment having a front opening, a refrigerating system associated with said compartment including an evaporator for cooling air therein, a skeleton frame structure within said compartment, an insulated door stationarily secured to an end of said frame structure adapted to engage the front of said compartment for normally closing the open front thereof, means mounting said frame structure within said compartment for movement outwardly of the front opening thereof while being supported therefrom, horizontally spaced apart slides on said frame structure, each of said slides including a first part stationarily supported on said frame structure and a second part extendable relative to said first part thereof, a shelf mounted on said extendable part of said slides and tying the same together, said shelf being movable outwardly to either side of said frame structure in directions transverse to the direction of movement thereof out of said compartment, and said second part of said slides cooperating with said first part thereof to prevent tilting of said shelf relative to said frame structure when the shelf is moved outwardly thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Gardner J an. 29, 1907 Gregor May 2, 1950 

